Best paying transportation jobs

The highest-paying occupations in transportation, ranked with median wage weighted heaviest.

How this ranking is scored

score = .70·pay + .10·growth + .10·employment + .10·openings

Each factor is scaled to the strongest occupation on this list, then weighted and summed. Weights differ by list type. Full methodology.

Wages — OEWS May 2025

Growth & openings — EP 2024–34

Rank by Overall score ·Pay ·Growth ·Openings

Compare · management·business and finance·technology

#

Occupation

MEDIAN PAY

P25–P75

Growth

Employed

Open/yr

Score

01

Airline Pilots, Copilots, and Flight Engineers · Bachelor's degree · 53-2011

$232,140

+3.9%

103,560

11,700

100

02

Air Traffic Controllers · Associate's degree · 53-2021

$148,080

+1.2%

22,510

2,200

62

03

Commercial Pilots · Postsecondary nondegree award · 53-2012

$123,220

+5.1%

47,630

6,600

57

04

Stockers and Order Fillers · No formal educational credential · 53-7065

$37,330

+8.5%

2.8M

472,300

52

05

Ship Engineers · Postsecondary nondegree award · 53-5031

$109,530

+1.6%

8,400

1,100

47

06

Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers · Postsecondary nondegree award · 53-3032

$58,640

+4.0%

2.1M

237,600

45

07

Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers, Hand · No formal educational credential · 53-7062

$40,240

+1.5%

3M

384,300

43

08

Transportation Inspectors · High school diploma or equivalent · 53-6051

$92,100

+1.7%

24,500

2,500

40

09

Subway and Streetcar Operators · High school diploma or equivalent · 53-4041

$86,380

+3.4%

10,200

900

39

10

Captains, Mates, and Pilots of Water Vessels · Postsecondary nondegree award · 53-5021

$92,460

+0.5%

36,850

4,300

39

11

Flight Attendants · High school diploma or equivalent · 53-2031

$63,580

+9.2%

131,650

19,800

38

12

Light Truck Drivers · High school diploma or equivalent · 53-3033

$44,860

+7.3%

983,300

120,200

35

13

First-Line Supervisors of Transportation and Material Moving Workers, Except Aircraft Cargo Handling Supervisors · High school diploma or equivalent · 53-1047

$62,890

+3.7%

623,640

61,300

35

14

Locomotive Engineers · High school diploma or equivalent · 53-4011

$81,410

+0.7%

33,470

2,200

34

15

Railroad Conductors and Yardmasters · High school diploma or equivalent · 53-4031

$78,000

+1.1%

46,440

3,100

33

16

Crane and Tower Operators · High school diploma or equivalent · 53-7021

$68,080

+3.0%

42,890

3,800

32

17

Gas Compressor and Gas Pumping Station Operators · High school diploma or equivalent · 53-7071

$77,320

-1.3%

3,510

600

31

18

Taxi Drivers · No formal educational credential · 53-3054

$42,100

+11.1%

41,050

22,600

31

19

Bus Drivers, Transit and Intercity · High school diploma or equivalent · 53-3052

$59,050

+4.3%

159,240

20,900

31

20

Aircraft Cargo Handling Supervisors · High school diploma or equivalent · 53-1041

$58,170

+5.2%

9,760

1,100

30

21

Driver/Sales Workers · High school diploma or equivalent · 53-3031

$38,770

+8.8%

409,180

51,300

30

22

Railroad Brake, Signal, and Switch Operators and Locomotive Firers · High school diploma or equivalent · 53-4022

$68,840

+1.0%

12,400

1,000

29

23

Tank Car, Truck, and Ship Loaders · No formal educational credential · 53-7121

$58,870

+4.3%

10,700

1,300

29

24

Wellhead Pumpers · High school diploma or equivalent · 53-7073

$69,960

-4.7%

17,990

2,000

29

25

Traffic Technicians · High school diploma or equivalent · 53-6041

$59,090

+3.7%

7,860

800

29

Showing top 25 of 50 scored occupations — show all 50show top 25

#

Occupation

MEDIAN PAY

Growth

Score

26

Pump Operators, Except Wellhead Pumpers · High school diploma or equivalent

$61,770

+2.6%

28

27

Airfield Operations Specialists · High school diploma or equivalent

$56,850

+4.2%

28

Rail Transportation Workers, All Other · High school diploma or equivalent

$56,360

+3.9%

28

29

Industrial Truck and Tractor Operators · No formal educational credential

$46,420

+1.1%

26

30

Shuttle Drivers and Chauffeurs · No formal educational credential

$37,290

+6.7%

25

31

Rail Yard Engineers, Dinkey Operators, and Hostlers · High school diploma or equivalent

$60,600

+0.3%

25

32

Sailors and Marine Oilers · No formal educational credential

$51,520

+2.3%

24

33

Bridge and Lock Tenders · High school diploma or equivalent

$57,700

-3.3%

23

34

Bus Drivers, School · High school diploma or equivalent

$47,920

+0.2%

23

35

Transportation Workers, All Other · High school diploma or equivalent

$45,650

+3.8%

23

36

Hoist and Winch Operators · No formal educational credential

$56,450

-1.1%

23

37

Motor Vehicle Operators, All Other · No formal educational credential

$37,180

+6.0%

23

38

Aircraft Service Attendants · High school diploma or equivalent

$40,450

+5.1%

23

39

Cleaners of Vehicles and Equipment · No formal educational credential

$35,830

+3.9%

23

40

Refuse and Recyclable Material Collectors · No formal educational credential

$49,690

+0.9%

22

41

Material Moving Workers, All Other · No formal educational credential

$41,800

+4.3%

22

42

Dredge Operators · High school diploma or equivalent

$49,640

+1.2%

22

43

Passenger Attendants · High school diploma or equivalent

$37,720

+4.7%

21

44

Motorboat Operators · Postsecondary nondegree award

$47,520

+1.4%

21

45

Packers and Packagers, Hand · No formal educational credential

$36,280

-5.4%

19

46

Parking Attendants · No formal educational credential

$35,150

+3.0%

19

47

Conveyor Operators and Tenders · No formal educational credential

$42,420

-3.4%

17

48

Machine Feeders and Offbearers · No formal educational credential

$41,220

-13.0%

17

49

Automotive and Watercraft Service Attendants · No formal educational credential

$35,670

-1.0%

15

50

Ambulance Drivers and Attendants, Except Emergency Medical Technicians · High school diploma or equivalent

$35,450

-1.3%

15

Fastest-growing transportation careers

01 Taxi Drivers +11.1%

02 Flight Attendants +9.2%

03 Driver/Sales Workers +8.8%

04 Stockers and Order Fillers +8.5%

05 Light Truck Drivers +7.3%

transportation careers without a four-year degree

01 Commercial Pilots $123,220

02 Stockers and Order Fillers $37,330

03 Ship Engineers $109,530

04 Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers $58,640

05 Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers, Hand $40,240

Live jobs in transportation

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About transportation careers

How many transportation careers are there?

Jobs.best ranks 50 transportation occupations with published wages, from OEWS May 2025.

What is the highest-paying transportation job?

Airline Pilots, Copilots, and Flight Engineers, with a national median of $232,140.

Can you enter transportation without a degree?

Yes — 5 of the ranked transportation occupations typically need no four-year degree, including Commercial Pilots.